Dozens of people allege that P&O cruise ship casinos prey on vulnerable people. [Image: Shutterstock.com]

Following the death of a man while onboard a P&O cruise ship, dozens of people have come forward with claims of being taken advantage of by the ship’s casino.

Shane Dixon, a father of three, racked up AU$9,000 (US$5,855) in gambling debt after receiving incentives to keep gambling, including a free cruise and complimentary drinks. The 45-year-old fell from the ship as it returned to port.

they couldn’t self-exclude from the cruise ship casino

Other people coming forward claim they couldn’t self-exclude from the cruise ship casino, and staff wouldn’t let them leave the ship due to unpaid debts.

The law firm leading an upcoming class-action lawsuit in Australia says that while the cruise ship company has changed some policies since Dixon’s death, more changes are still necessary.

Peter Carter of Carter Capner Law mentioned the practice of “preventing passengers and their families from leaving the ship and interrogating them” regarding the repayment of debts.

One story involves a person who was on a cruise ship days after Dixon’s death. They accumulated nearly AU$6,000 (US$3,903) in debt and couldn’t leave the ship for three hours after docking in Sydney. They were finally allowed to leave after threatening to jump into the water and swim ashore.